EZTrip.com International Destination Guide and Hotel Listings

The gare SNCF and gare routière for points in Béarn, Basse Navarre and Soule are next door to each other, just off place de la République on the north bank of the Adour, across the wide Pont St-Esprit from the city centre. In addition, a bus terminal in place des Basques on the Adour's south bank, serves destinations in the Nive valley. The tourist office is also in place des Basques (July & Aug Mon-Sat 9am-7pm, Sun 10am-1pm; rest of year Mon-Fri 9am-6.30pm, Sat 10am-6pm; tel 05.59.46.01.46), with a booth at the train station and the airport in summer only (July & Aug Mon-Sat 9.30am-12.30pm & 2-6.30pm); they organize several good bus trips up into the mountains - ask for their list.

The most agreeable budget hotels are the basic Hôtel des Basques , on place Paul-Bert (tel 05.59.59.08.02; under 160F/¬24), the tiny Hôtel du Port Neuf , at 44 rue du Port-Neuf (tel 05.59.25.65.83; 160-220F/¬24-34), with just five rooms with bath or shower, and the Hôtel Monbar , at 24 rue Pannecau in Petit Bayonne (tel 05.59.59.26.80; 160-220F/¬24-34), with en-suite rooms. Pricier alternatives include Hôtel des Basses-Pyrénees , at 14 rue Tour-de-Sault (tel 05.59.59.00.29, fax 05.59.59.42.02; under 160F/¬24-400F/¬61), in a converted medieval building, and the top-end Hôtel Frantour Loustau , on place de la République (tel 05.59.55.08.08, fax 05.59.55.69.36; 400-500F/¬61-76), overlooking the river beside Pont St-Esprit; both have affordable attached restaurants (menus from under 100F/¬15.25).

Hostellers can head for the HI hostel at 19 rte des Vignes in Anglet , 6km west of town on the Biarritz road; the STAB bus #4 (direction "Biarritz Mairie") from the Hôtel de Ville stops right outside. The only campsite nearby is La Chêneraie (tel 05.59.55.01.31; closed Oct-Easter), off the N117 Pau road close to the Bayonne-Nord exit from the autoroute , and also on the #4 bus route; take bus direction "Sainsontan" and get off at Navarre, from where the campsite is a 500-metre walk.